Covering The Distance In Distance Education With Mobile App

Today, universities and colleges have begun to think about mobile platforms for providing various instructions related to distance learning courses. They have found mobile applications as a useful tool to always stay in touch with students.

The continuously advancing digital technology has also created advancement in a number of domains. Distance education is one of them. Many people mean distance education as only taking a course on the internet or by email but, it is not complete scenario. Distance education is a far old method than any modern technologies. Its history can be traced back to 1728 when a teacher of shorthand, named Celeb Phillips, published an ad in the Boston Gazette in which he was seeking for students whom he could send lessons of shorthand every week. In 1969, the Open University of UK began to provide distance learning courses through radio and television broadcasts. However distance education was so far felt to have considerable distance between students and distance education universities. There was still no quick medium available between learners and the universities to provide education.

But, with the development of computer and internet, distance learning now has no more distance between education and students. Internet is capable of providing any sort of information just in a flash. This is what required by distance learning universities. These universities rapidly adopted internet technology and brought most of their education procedures online; from taking lessons to providing study materials, to even taking examination. Today, there are a number of virtual universities which are successfully providing all education related materials, instructions, and even online classes through internet around the world and, many of them are even shifting their whole IT infrastructure to mobile devices.

Yes, distance learning has now become easier with the growing use of mobile phones. People are using mobile phones for their day-to-day requirements. Modern mobile phones which we know as smartphones and tablets have certainly made big difference in our world. They aren’t only education institutions and colleges but, nearly all industries and businesses have discovered the advantages of being on a mobile platform, with a custom mobile app. Distance learning universities and institutes are getting mobile applications developed to simplify the distance learning education procedure and to make available education wherever the students want.

Today, we have more than one app fulfilling the purpose of online education, particularly distance learning. Math Ref, for example, is a mobile app with more than 1400 math examples, tips and equations to help students. It is available for both iPhone and Android platforms. The application quickly provides math equations and examples. The app also provides a list of math formulas. This app just removes the use of textbook for completing homework and study for math tests. This sort of app falls into the category of m-learning app. M-learning is an evolved version of the same e-learning practice. The only difference is that online learning is provided by the way of mobile and apps.

If you are learning a foreign language online, you can purchase language learning mobile apps. Language learning apps help students improve their word power and learn to structure sentences and use grammars. Many mobile apps used for learning foreign languages also come with a dictionary. There are numerous mobile applications available for learning the languages like French, German, Korean, etc. Most apps are available for both Android and iPhone. These apps designed with simplest UI and UX so that even non-tech-savvy people can use them. Many of them come with the ability of hearable pronunciation so that learners can learn the actual pronunciation of words.

Universities and institutes in distance learning industry can also get mobile apps developed to provide useful information about various activities. Mobile apps can provide instant help and support in accessing course content, including online discussions, threads, assignments, and real-time alerts. Information related to examination dates, tests, exam schedules, assignment submission, due exams, and results can also be accessed through distance learning mobile apps.

Mobile applications are supportive for both students taking courses and institutes offering courses. Newsfactor.com has reported that more and more online universities and institutes are choosing mobile apps to improve their offerings for online courses. These apps also allow students to access education materials wherever and whenever they want. With high speed internet connectivity, students would easily be able to access courses, universities, other students and also faculties.

Distance learning is truly growing up, and offering vast scopes for innovative solutions. Above all, when mobile based learning approaches become embedded and fully accessible via application, distance learning also has the possibility to be applied strategically, in order to address the access-restraints to higher education in developed and developing countries, and support organizational training and professional development in new manners. There is also potential for connecting distance learning and mobile based learning (m-learning) with global agenda such as poverty reduction, health awareness, sustainable development and climate change.

The merge of distance learning and m-learning can easily bring up people living in remote area to the mainstream learning practices and provide them with the education of global standards.

Author Bio

Sofia is a digital marketing expert in Rapidsofttechnologies, a prominent mobile app development company which provides ios and android app development services across the global. She loves to write on latest mobile trends, mobile technologies, startups and enterprises